The Final Chance
by Sirius01
Summary: Will James and Lily ever stop hating each other? EVER?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Ok, so i haven't written in a couple of years but i didnt like my story 'The Final Year' as much as i wanted to. I want to portray the characters a lot more to my liking in this Story. It's about James and Lily's final year at Hogwarts how I imagined it would be. Please take the time to let me know what you think. I have left a lot of the basic stuff out because if youre reading this, i assumed you have some sort of knowledge about Harry Potter lol. Otherwise, Enjoy**

**Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all.**

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Chapter One.

People didn't walk away from_ him. _

_He_ was the one who always walked away from _them_. Always. That was always the last thing anyone saw. The untidy, yet incredibly handsome, back of _his _head.

James swore loudly, before running his hand through his hair. Could anyone get on his nerves that much?

The scarlet couch in the Heads Common room looked extremely inviting to him right at this very second. Slowly, but very surely, he made his way over to the couch and picked up a fluffy gold cushion. Of course he would regret his next move, but James still lobbed the cushion, with all his might, towards the door labeled **Head Girl. **His hazel eyes watched it soar across the room in slow motion, just like in all those muggle movies, and finally land with a bang (a bang which he never thought capable of a fluffy cushion) on a shelf which, two seconds previously, looked quite… bright?

'Shitttt.'

The cushion hit the floor and flames began to rise, slowly at first, before engulfing the entire pillow. Of course he would hit the only shelve with candles on it. Cursing the fact that he should have a better aim, considering he was the Captain, the star of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, he raced over to the pillow and muttered, 'Aguamenti.' The flames subsided as a jet of water sprung through the tip of his wand. _Lucky we play with a quaffle, not cushions_, he thought lamely.

James coughed as smoke slowly filled the small common room, and he waved his hands around his face like an idiot, trying to find a trace of clean air. A knock at the portrait made him stop, and he prayed to Merlin that it was his best friend, his brother, replacing the one that he was never fortunate enough to have. He reached the back of the portrait and kicked it open, and was thankful that for once today, his prayers were answered.

A smile spread across Sirius Blacks face, twisting his tanned features to make him look even more perfect then even James himself. Or maybe not. Equally attractive, both boys stood in silence and stared at each other, one whose hazel eyes we turned to slits that even Lord Voldemort would envy, and the other with the stupidest grin from ear to ear on his face. James got the urge to slap the smile straight off his perfect face. How could anyone be happy right now?

'It is polite to let a guest inside, rather than allow them to hover on the door step awkwardly. It invites unwanted small talk,' Sirius said in a pleasant voice.

James let his eyes relax, and matched his best friends mocking voice, 'Would you like to enter?' before motioning him inside with one hand and adding his trade mark smile which would have any girl fall to his knees.

'Why Thank-you.'

Siruis strode past him, or strutted as most people would call it, and sat on the couch where that damn pillow was only a few minutes before. James watched him, his arm still outstretched as if waiting for his best friend to ask why there was so much smoke in the room. But he didn't.

'So this is what royalty looks like?' His blue eyes scanned the room before meeting James'.

James gave a weak smile, dropped his arm and went and sat down aswell.

Sirius sighed and shook his head, 'What a day.'

'Tell me about it,' James replied.

'Ha! As if your day could even compare to mine. Guess who i put in the hospital wing before the school year even began?'

'You didn't.'

'I did.'

'Why didn't you wait for me to get there?' James looked disappointed.

'Because you're done. Finished. dead, if you will. Well maybe not dead, but you might as well be. You're _Head Boy_ now.' he said the words as if they were poison, and lets face it... They were.

'You think i wanna be here? In this stupid room with that red headed bitch on my back all the time,' Jame's look of disgust didnt surprise Sirius. He was used to the two of them fighting like an old married couple. Except they literally hated each other, and the idea of them ever marrying was laughable

'Im affraid _here_ is the only plus side Prongs.' Sirius eyed the room again, this time spotting the burnt pillow and surrounding carpet. 'Already tried to burn this place down?'

'Something like that.'

James stared at his best friend. There were slight bags under his eyes which would make Sirius have a hissy fit if he saw them. Maybe he hasn't looked in the mirror lately, nothing normally faults that flawless face.

The truth was, James and Sirius could have been brothers. They both looked similar, tall, tanned and each had muscles that put their shirts to shame. The only difference was their eyes and hair. James had hazel eyes and a messy mop on his head, and Sirius had sparkling blue eyes. You would never find a hair on his head out of place, even (much to many other males disgust) after a game of Quidditch. They were perfect. They were natural leaders. They were the height of cool, and didn't they know it.

'So what did Regulus do to piss you off this time?' James looked curiously at his brother. Sirius hadn't put his REAL brother in hospital for over a year now.

'Nothing. But it got me two weeks of detention.' He paused, thinking, and smiled, 'It was worth it though.'

'Well, if it was worth it...' James trailed off, not knowing what to say next.

'What's up with you tonight?'

James stared at the floor, of course Sirius would notice. 'Apparently i wont have a life this year.'

'I told you that as soon as that fat arse letter came during the summer. A letter that big only means one thing...'

'I know, it just finially hit me today,' James replied with a sigh.

'But you've always know-' Sirius stopped in mid sentence and turned his face so that hazel met blue, a tiny 'Oh' escaped from his lips.

James nodded, his best friend knew him too well. 'Of course she would have gotten Head Girl. But to attack me like that... I havn't fucked up yet have i?'

'You know what she's like Prongs. She's as fiery as any red head. She takes her job seriously.'

'Yeah, a little too seriously.'

'Maybe she heard about the train,' Sirius suggested.

'Nobody knows about the train. Apart from you.'

Sirius tried to keep his face blank but James knew him too well. Sirius let his mask slip for less then half a second and James swore loudly.

'Jillian Johnson was quite proud. I mean, how often do you get to shag a marauder on the hogwarts express? It would be such a nice 'welcome back' gift.'

James swore again. 'Dumb bitch needs to keep her mouth shut.'

Sirius laughed, 'bless her, she'll be telling her grandkids when she's all old and wrinkly.'

'I was wondering why Evans was so mad before.'

Sirius shrugged, 'it's not like you did anything wrong technically. Morally, however, maybe you did cross the line.'

James laughed at his best friend. Sirius was the first one to sleep with someone of the Hogwarts Express. _'What else is there to do?' _Were Sirius' words when he told James over the Summer.

'Padfoot, you were the one who shagged that seventh year on the way home last year.'

Sirius smiled, 'Oh shit, i did too.'

They both laughed and sighed at the memory. James sat up, causing Sirius to look at him curiously.

'Where are the other two?' James asked.

'Peter's asleep and Remus is, well, i don't really know.'

But the portrait behind them opened and both of them stared at the person who dared to interrupt them. Or persons. Lily Evans laughed, pulling along someone behind her whom James couldnt see.

'No peeking!' she said over her shoulder. But she stopped when she spotted the two boys sitting on the couch. James couldn't deny it, she _was_ beautiful. Some people are born that way, other people pretend to be. But she_ was _born that way. She wore no make up and yet, she didn't need to. She had pulled her dark red locks up into a bun on the top of her head, allowing her face to be seen from every different angle.

As soon as she had spotted them (or maybe just him), however, the smile that was spread across her gorgeous face immediately vanished. A look of complete and utter disgust filled her pretty little features, and James returned it equally.

'Wow, it's very... Smok-,' Remus trailed off, dropping Lily's hand and staring at his friends.

'Remus, Lily, nice of you to join us,' Sirius said, patting the couch on the side opposite to James.

Remus made his way over to where his friends sat. Lily, however remained where she was.

'You want to explain the smoke, Potter?' she asked.

James started to say something but Sirius cut him off, 'It was my fault Lily. I thought i was more talented with a wand then i actually am,' he answered, with an apolagetic smile. The smile he used on teachers to get out of trouble.

'You were one of the top of the year last year were you not?' She answered with a smile spreading to her lips.

'Yes, baby, but even the best fall down sometimes,' he answered, winking at her.

'Your charm works on me as well as Potter's does. Im not a blonde bimbo who melts at the mere sight of you two,' she said, waving her wand at the burnt pile and it disapeared. 'Maybe next time clean up after yourself.'

James cut Sirius off this time, 'Why would we Evans, when we have you cleaning up after us. Maybe you were a house elf in a previous life.'

Lily glared at him, before turning to Remus and saying, 'I've changed my mind, I'm going to bed. Night.'

James watched her walk towards the room which the pillow was suppose to hit. She opened the door, hesitated, and slammed it shut beind her.

'I'm gonna glue that door shut so Big Red will be late for her first class tomorrow,' James said, throwing another pillow at the door and this time hitting it.

'James.' It was Remus. James didnt want to talk to him at the moment.

'What.'

'It wouldn't hurt to just try and be her friend. You two are going to have to work together a lot this year and you're just making it even more awkward then it has to be.'

'I'll try when she says sorry,' he spat back, still not seeing how such a smart boy could be so dumb. How Remus could be so close to the stupid girl in the dorm across the other side of the common room. But he knew why. Ever since they had both become prefects in their 5th year, they have been practically brother and sister.

'James, you need to let it go,' Remus replied, staring at his friend straight in the eye.

James looked at Sirius for support, noticing that he had been very quite for the last couple of minutes. But he merely shrugged and answered, 'It would make sense, i mean you do have to work with the girl now. It's not an option anymore. You've ignored her ever since it happened, or when you weren't ignoring her you were teasing her or making her really pissed off but you can't do that now.'

'Ok, thanks so much for the lecture, _Sirius_, but if you think me and that girl are going to end up like them,' he pointed to Remus before continuing, 'then you've got to be out of your mind. Maybe she should have thought about what she was doing before she pulled that prank on me. I never intentionally hurt her but if she wanted to play dirty, then i'm as dirty as they come!'

And it was true. He couldn't see them as friends. Yes, he had loved her but not anymore. All he felt for the girl was hatred, hatred he never thought he was capable of. And it made him sick, he hated what she did to him and he could never forgive her. If he could forgive her, then it would always be at the back of his mind. She had ruined everything that day. But most importantly she had ruined him. He had loved her so much that he was willing to give it all up for her. For some stupid girl. Hell, any girl would take him at the drop of a hat but the one he actually wanted, never wanted him back, and didn't she make the most of it...

'Prongs,' Remus started, and James knew they were back to being marauders, he wasn't speaking as Lily's best friend. he had used _the_ name. Not James, but_ their _name. 'I just want you and her to have a good year. God knows what will happen after we leave this damn place but it's our final year so let's make the most of it.'

James smiled, 'I'll put up with her but im not being her friend. Ever.'

Sirius laughed at his stubborn best friend. Oh, what a year this will be...

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**Thank-you for reading :) R&R pleaaaaaase.**


	2. Chapter 2

No one in their right mind would ever even _consider_ dating them. Either one of them.

But Lily sighed, not many people here were in their right minds. She threw the remainder of her (now cold) toast onto her plate in disgust. The great hall was for eating, Not flirting with every girl you could gets your hands on. Well, not any girl... They did have standards. Most of the time.

Dumb and Dumber stood a mere two meters away from where Lily sat, trying with every ounce of her might to eat breakfast, surrounded by a group of giggling girls. The Dumb blondes and slutty brunette's would be lucky to know what two plus two is, let alone knowing that they would never actually have a chance with those two idiots. Lily laughed. Only stupid girls in muggle books giggled like that, she never thought someone would actually be _that_ pathetic.

All the humour she felt previously was lost when her eyes met his. He looked away first, as some fifth year hopeful toyed with his undone tie. Can't they eye-fuck somewhere else?

'Lily?'

She tore her eyes away from the group, which was slowly getting larger, to look at her best friend.

'Natalia?'

'They did it all last year, i don't know why you expected a change,' Nat replied, glancing at Black and Potter.

Natalia Smith and Lily had been friends since second year. Nat was tall, skinny and tanned with light blue eyes and dark brown hair. Light freckles cover her cheeks and nose from all the sun damage she sustains when visiting her family in Australia.

'I know. It's disgusting. Cant they do that somewhere more private?'

Nat laughed. 'Lily, they aren't doing anything wrong. And it's not that bad.'

'Ok, you're suppose to agree with me. I'm your best friend.' Lily picked up her bag and stood up from the table. 'Let's go before the actually start having sex on the table.'

Nat laughed, again. 'Sure, sure.'

* * *

Lily's first day was a complete nightmare. Not only did she receive double the amount of homework than last year, but every one of her classes James was in. It was as if she was being punished for something that she didn't do. No one deserved to have every class with him, and it does get annoying having to dodge his abnormally large head all the time. As if she didn't have to spend enough time with him doing their Head Girl/Boy business.

Lily took her eyes away from the book she was reading and decided that maybe it was time to start her three foot long Transfiguration essay. She knew the topic of by heart, but putting onto parchment would be a totally different story. She made to get up by a hand pushed her shoulder back down.

'Aaaaaaaand where do you think you're going?'

'Oh, hey. Nice to see a friendly face,' Lily forced a smile as Remus took a seat on the grass next to her. They both looked out at the lake, not really needing to say anything to each other. They were similar in more ways then one. Both attractive, intelligent, quiet and kind-hearted, they could sit together in silence for hours and not one second of it would be awkward. It was the company they both craved. Having someone to talk to if you needed to, yet not having to tell them every single detail of their life story. They understood each other.

Lily felt Remus' gaze turn to her face, as if being x-rayed. Lily met his stare and forced a smile, but she couldn't fool Remus... She never could. He raised an eyebrow at her, an unspoken question written all over his tired features.

Lily scrunched up her face, something she would never do in front of any other guy. 'It's just been a shit of a day, that's all.'

'I guess that makes two of us,' he replied, putting his arm around her shoulder. Lily smiled. Of course Remus would understand. She didn't want to talk about it, and even if he was dying to know what had happened to make her day so bad, he wouldn't press the issue. They would just both sit there, for as long as she needed (or he, on the rear occasion), feeling sorry for each other and pretending nothing else excisted.

'Lily..' he started.

'Yes? Should I be scared?' She asked, seeing his face become serious so suddenly.

'Well-,' he hesitated. So unlike him. 'Seeing as you will be spending a lot more time with James- don't look at me like that- this year, maybe it might be an idea to say sorry to him.'

Lily laughed with no humour. 'Say sorry to him? _He_ should be saying sorry to every one of those students who he has humiliated ever since he stepped foot into this school. I think it's time someone put Batman and Robin in their place.'

Remus gave her a questioning look. 'Batman and Robin?'

'Never mind. I just don't understand why people bless the ground they walk on. Especially him!'

'They aren't how they used to be. Plus you don't even have to really mean it, when you say sorry to him.'

'No. I will not give him the satisfaction.'

And the subject was dropped. Both agreeing to disagree, something that very rarely happened between the two.

'Let's get out of here,' Remus stood up, pulling Lily with him, 'It's getting dark and im starving.'

'Sure.'

* * *

Maybe Lily was imagining things but she could have sworn the portrait hole to the Heads Common room just opened and closed for no particular reason. Maybe she was slowly going mad. Or quickly. How long does it take a perfectly normaly teenager to go crazy?

She rubbed her emerald eyes and shook her head, any traces of relaxation the holiday brought her were now gone. Lily eyed the couch she was sitting on. It looked so much more comfortable before she had sat down, with her legs and back aching from all the stairs she had climbed or decended today.

No, it wasn't her imagination and she definately wasn't going mad, yet. James Potter stood at the entrance to the common room, a look of disappointment on his face.

'What? No lecture today Evans?' His handsome features twisted into his smirk. His evil smirk.

'I don't waste my time on idiotic airheads such as yourself,' she replied. He was such a git.

'But im late for the meeting,' he said stupidly, as if he was talking to a three-year-old.

'Oh. Yeah, right.' Lily swore inwardly at the boy in front of him. After everything that had happened today, she had forgotten about the meeting they had arranged.

He smirked again.

'Evans, Evans, Evans. If I didn't know you any better, i'd say that it seems like the preasure has already gotten to you.'

'Well then i guess it's lucky that you don't really know me. You don't know anything about me.'

A flash of anger crossed his tanned features, but it didnt last long. As quickly as it came, it was replaced by a smug look. A look Lily would have given all the money in her Gringott's account just to slap off.

'Maybe if you threw in the towel now, they'll put you in the record books for the shortest term served as Head Girl.' James rubbed his chin, as if thinking hard. 'Oh wait, that was given to Hayley Glass in 1872. Rumour has it she sent the badge straight back to the school! After shitting her pants and cleaning up the mess i would imagine. I take it you're not quite as pathetic as her. Close, Evans, don't get me wrong-'

'Shut up.'

The idiot put his arms up in defence, shrugging his shoulders. 'Didn't know you were in a mood. But seeing as you are, let's hurry up and do what ever it is that we have to do.'

He made his way over to the lounge next to the one she was sitting in, grabbed either side of it and dragged it in a sort of semi circle till it was opposite her. She watched half in awe, half just pissed off at his ability to shift the furniture at will. Damn him and his stupid big muscles. Her mouth may have dropped a little as he picked up the coffee table across the other side of the room and carried it back to wear she was sitting. He stood, like an idiot might she add, and dropped the table from an unecessary height so it sat between the two couches with a thud.

Lily closed her mouth and forced a look of annoyance to stain her pretty features. 'Finished?'

He ignored her, jumping on the chair with unnatural smoothness and running his hands through his already messy hair. Deciding that the best way to deal with him would be to get this over and done with as soon as possible, she took out the letter she received from dumbledore early this morning.

Looking anywhere but at his face, she began their first meeting as Head Boy and Head Girl. 'Ok, so Dumbledore sent me this, well he sent it here and i just happened to be awake at the time.' She held up the piece of parchment breafly before continuing. 'There isn't too much to start off with but i assume the list will get longer as the year goes on. First he congratulated us o-'

'Evans.'

She glared at him having dared to interrupt her. 'What?'

'Would it not be easier for me to read the letter?'

Her eyes narrowed and she could feel her brows pull together in the middle, not being at all supprised if she had a monobrow at this very second. She thought about what he said for a moment before finally deciding, although she would never admit it, that he was probably right. Without a word, she thrust the peice of parchment at him and watched him snatch it out of the air. Why did he have to be so good at everything?

She watched his hazel eyes scan the letter until he looked up and met her gaze.

'Well?' She asked, surprised by the harshness in her voice.

'Well, seems simple enough,' he answered, jumping up from the seat and beginning to make his way to the portrait hole.

'And where do you think you're going?'

He stopped, as if measuring what would be his best option at that exact moment. Run for it and deal with her later, or turn around and sit his arse in the chair across from her. He slowly turned his head, then his body and finally made his legs move back to where she sat. He was smarter then she gave him credit for.

'Sit,' she snapped, pointing a single, yet very deadly, finger at the chair.

'Yes, m'am,' he replied, sitting back were he was before.

'Right, we'll only discuss what we have to tonight and we can get back to the rest later. We need to sort of the patrol roster. I suggest we patrol Monday nights but if you can't do it on Monday's then let me know. That way it can be Gryffindor prefects Tuesday, Ravenclaw Wednesday, Hufflepuff Thursday and Slytherin Friday. Saturday night can be Gryffindor for the first hour, Ravenclaw for the second and on Sunday Hufflepuff then Slytherin.' She paused breafly, waiting for him to speak but when he didn't she continued. 'These maps of patrol areas will need to be given to each prefect so as they know where they are patrolling. We dont want anything to happen like last year.'

He held out his hand and Lily was surprised that she hadn't received a smart arse comment instead. Not taking the situation for granted, she handed him the maps with what she hoped was a thankful smile.

'Dumbledore wants us to organise a Hodsmeade weekend seeing as they were a bit slack last year. I was thinking this weekend so if it is Ok with you ill let him kno-'

'Nah. Not this weekend,' he cut her off.

Slightly taken back, she aranged her face into a dangerous look. 'And why not, _Potter_?'

'Just not this weekend, _Evans_. The weekend after.'

'I think this weekend is fine,' she snapped back stubbornly.

'Not everyone is dying to go shopping like you, Evans, so _next_ weekend it is.'

She glared at him, hating the fact that he had as much authority as her. And hating the fact that he could see right through her at this very second. She needed to buy a few things that she had forgotten to buy or pack on the holidays.

'Fine. You can tell Dumbledore then. Finally i think that Quidditch practice should be cut by half an hour.'

'WHAT? No way, that's fucking insane, even for you!'

Lily waited for him to finish. She had expected this reaction from him and was surprised when he didn't question the dot point 'Quidditch Practice' earlier in Dumbledore's letter.

'It's getting dangerous outside after nightfall and the school wants to take even precaution they can. Can you really blame them?'

'Yes, i can blame them! We don't get enough practice as it is, then to cut it back another half hour? That's completely fucking in-_sane_.'

Lily felt her tempter rising. All this stupid boy cared about was his precious Quidditch. Did he not care for his team mates enough to want to protect them? That familiar hatred she felt when he was around was bubbling inside her, just waiting for the right moment to jump out and punch this stupid boy infront of her.

Voldemort is at his strongest and that means that those front doors will be closed at 6:30 every night regardless, Potter. So if you don't want to spend the night camping outside then i suggust you be in before they close.'

He stood up suddenly, making her flinch. his palms were clenched tightly into fists that made his knuckles look white compared to the rest of his skin. His teeth were clenched and his jaw was set. The sight of him this angry made Lily nervous, but no way was she going to show James Potter any sign of weakness. Or fear.

'If i ever see Voldemort strolling through the grounds then hell, i'll give you every single thing in my bank at Gringotts.'

She stood up too, cursing herself for not being as tall as him. She took one steph forward, only the table now stood between them. If he had any freckles, she would be able to count each and every one of them. Instead she looked him in the eye and said with all the hate and anger she could muster. 'You know what... FINE! You do your stupid Quidditch training till one o'clock in the morning, why would i give a damn. You mean nothing to me!'

Lily through the letter and the meeting notes in his face before picking up her bag and making her way to her domitory. Not once did she look back for that stupid boys reaction, nor did he give her one.


End file.
